2018 FIFA World Cup Knockout & Semifinals 🇫🇷

The 2018 FIFA World Cup knockout stage was an exciting part of the tournament held in Russia. Here's a recap of the knockout stage matches:

Round of 16 (June 30 - July 3, 2018):
1. France 4-3 Argentina: France defeated Argentina 4-3 in a thrilling match, with Kylian Mbappé shining and scoring two goals.
2. Uruguay 2-1 Portugal: Uruguay secured a 2-1 victory against Portugal, with Edinson Cavani scoring both goals for Uruguay.
3. Spain 1-1 Russia (3-4 on penalties): Hosts Russia managed to hold Spain to a 1-1 draw and then won 4-3 on penalties.
4. Croatia 1-1 Denmark (3-2 on penalties): Croatia also needed penalties to advance, beating Denmark 3-2 in the shootout.
5. Brazil 2-0 Mexico: Brazil defeated Mexico 2-0 to advance to the quarterfinals.
6. Belgium 3-2 Japan: In a thrilling match, Belgium came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against Japan in the last moments of the game.
7. Sweden 1-0 Switzerland: Sweden won 1-0 against Switzerland to secure their place in the quarterfinals.
8. England 1-1 Colombia (4-3 on penalties): England overcame Colombia 4-3 in the penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1.

Quarterfinals (July 6-7, 2018):
1. Uruguay 0-2 France: France comfortably defeated Uruguay 2-0 to advance to the semifinals.
2. Brazil 1-2 Belgium: Belgium pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory against Brazil, knocking out the five-time champions.
3. Sweden 0-2 England: England secured a 2-0 win over Sweden to reach their first World Cup semifinal since 1990.
4. Russia 2-2 Croatia (3-4 on penalties): Croatia won 4-3 on penalties against the host nation Russia after the match ended 2-2.

Semifinals (July 10-11, 2018):
1. France 1-0 Belgium: France defeated Belgium 1-0 to book their place in the World Cup final.
2. Croatia 2-1 England (after extra time): Croatia came from behind to beat England 2-1 in extra time, securing their spot in the final for the first time in their history.

Final (July 15, 2018):
France 4-2 Croatia: France emerged victorious in a thrilling final against Croatia, winning 4-2 to claim their second World Cup title. Goals from Mario Mandzukic (own goal), Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba, and Kylian Mbappé secured the victory for France, while Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic scored for Croatia.

Semifinal 1 (July 10, 2018):
France 1-0 Belgium: In a highly anticipated match between two strong European teams, France emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over Belgium. The only goal of the match was scored by French defender Samuel Umtiti in the 51st minute. He rose above the Belgian defense to head in a corner kick, securing France's place in the World Cup final.

Semifinal 2 (July 11, 2018):
Croatia 2-1 England (after extra time): Croatia faced off against England in an intense battle that went into extra time. England took the lead in the 5th minute through a goal by Kieran Trippier, but Croatia equalized in the 68th minute with a goal from Ivan Perisic. The match remained tied at 1-1 through regulation time. In the 109th minute of extra time, Mario Mandzukic scored the decisive goal for Croatia, capitalizing on a defensive error from England. Croatia's 2-1 victory secured their place in the World Cup final for the first time in their history.

These semifinal matches showcased the talent and determination of the teams involved, and the victories for France and Croatia set the stage for an exciting final showdown. France went on to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup by defeating Croatia 4-2 in the final. #france #belgium #croatia #russia #uruguay #argentina #brazil #usa #england #switzerland #fifaworldcup #football #winner #knockouts #semifinal #final 🏆🎉🏆